Winter WINTER 2019
Where Were You
?
Our very talented Teacher of Photography, Mrs Fox-Bloor recently exhibited 15 commissioned artworks as part of the Where Were You? Exhibition showcasing music memorabilia, fine art and photography at the Light House charity and arts venue in Wolverhampton, Berkshire. Mrs Fox-Bloor said, “Music is a huge passion of mine and so it has been a privilege to be involved in the Where Were You? Exhibition. It is quite incredible to think that my artworks are being displayed alongside such iconic
memorabilia as Sir Paul McCartney’s Epiphone Casino, Noel Gallagher’s Gibson Les Paul Custom Silver Sparkle as well as the iconic motorbike from Oasis’s BE Here Now album cover.” Mrs Fox-Bloor studied Photography at the Swansea Institute and lectured there for two years before joining Downe House as Teacher of Photography in 2011. Find out more about Mrs Fox-Bloor’s work here: www.thebloordraws.com
On the Cover 2
GINNIE CHADWYCK-HEALEY (FRASER DH 2001) Recently visited Downe House to talk to current girls about her career in the fashion industry. Read the full story on page 5.
Trinity Hill (DH 2019) spent time earlier this year modelling for Stella McCartney’s autumn/winter 2019 range. Stella McCartney is renowned for her environmental activism and her latest campaign throws the spotlight on climate change. Trinity shares her story with us.
Trinity pictured at Leavers’ Day July 2019.
face with a brush, playing with my hair and moisturising my legs. It felt like a fantasy – not least when the llamas turned up. But the revelation was meeting Stella McCartney. Paul’s daughter. Fashion icon. Political and environmental activist. As we chatted for hours, she surprised me as the most down-to-earth and well-intentioned woman. The whole campaign is designed to raise awareness for one of the most critical issues of our time – climate change. All of Stella’s clothes are made from reusable materials. Two of my co-models were members of Extinction Rebellion. We were all interviewed about our views on the climate change crisis. Scary but interesting. During the shoot, all the food was vegan; and no plastic or paper was used. Being part of the #StellaWinter19 campaign was incredible. Do check out the campaign video, voiced by the inspiring Jane Goodall. Sometimes you just have to take a chance.
CONTENTS DH LINKS
4
10 Year Reunion
6
20 & 25 Year Reunion 8
Background photo by ActionVance on Unsplash
During the Easter holidays, I woke up one morning expecting to continue my repetitive schedule of getting up and heading to the library, but instead I received an email asking me to board a bus that evening to go to the Brecon Beacons in Wales, a place I had never been before, to be part of Stella McCartney’s Winter Collection campaign. I arrived in a state of mixed excitement and nervousness to find myself as the youngest model surrounded by a large crew of photographers, make-up artists, and production assistants buzzing around the mesmerising face of supermodel Amber Valletta. Three unforgettably wonderful days of organised chaos followed. “Have you been to styling?” “Are your nails done?” “Have you been to hair?” My ears echoed with the vaguely threatening singsong voices of those for whom this was everyday work. I stood, ran and lay on the stunning hills of the Brecon Beacons in beautiful dresses and boots with an army of assistants prodding my
Ireland Regional Reunion
10
Romy Elliott
12
Georgia McMillan
14
Alice Dawnay
16
Lucy Dyer
18
Alumnae Highlights 20 Save the Date
21
Christmas at Downe House
22
News and Achievements
24
The Move to Cold Ash
26
DHSA
28
Fondly Remembered 30 Dates for the Diary
31
MAGAZINE TEAM Editor-in-chief Michelle Scott Content Alexandra Barlow Designer Craig Stevens
3
INSIGHT INTO THE WORLD OF FASHION AND RETAIL
BUILDING A BUSINESS WITH HONESTY On Wednesday 6 November, we were delighted to welcome Ms Romilla Arber, CEO of the Honesty Group, to talk to the girls about her passion for good bread and running a successful business with the community at its heart. Honesty and integrity about food is at the heart of the West Berkshirebased, Honesty Group’s business. We were delighted to welcome founder, Ms Romilla Arber, to Downe House to talk to our Fifth and Sixth Form girls about why she is so passionate about bread and the growth of her company. Upper Fifth girl Tilly who attended the talk reported, “I had the privilege of attending a talk by Ms Romilla Arber, CEO of the Honesty Group. Her business has grown to employ people in nine local communities, aiming to enrich them through honest food and togetherness. Ms Arber told us that she started her career working in law but always had a love of food, embedded in her ‘food soul’ by childhood memories of her mother’s cooking, inspired by her Sri Lankan heritage.”
4
Downe House Alumna, Caroline Dallas (Mainwaring DH 1997) returned to talk to girls about her career path and the success of her company, Luna Boutiques, on Wednesday 2 October. Upper School and Sixth From girls always enjoy an opportunity to chat to a former Downe House girl about her career and life after School. Organised as part of the DH LINKS programme of careers guidance events, Caroline spoke to the girls about her career path since leaving Downe House and what led her to start her fashion retail business here in Berkshire. After studying politics at Newcastle University, Caroline’s first job was in recruitment in London but she soon decided it wasn’t for her and set off on holiday to Cape Town. She ended up staying for four years, at first working in a beach bar before moving on to a job in the South African film industry where she worked in the Art Department. Eventually she moved back to London, met her husband and they decided to move to Wiltshire. Luna Boutiques was born when Caroline and a friend decided to open a clothes shop in Marlborough. Boutiques followed in Hungerford, Newbury and Devizes and she is now the proud owner of four successful fashion boutiques. Caroline said, “I love my job so much – it really is hard work steering your own ship but ultimately very rewarding.”
ADVICE FROM THE CLASS OF 2010
SUSTAINABLE FASHION On Monday 25 November, we were delighted to welcome Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey (Fraser DH 2001) back to Downe House to talk to our Upper Fifth and Sixth Form girls about her career as a fashion consultant, writer, stylist and presenter. Ginnie worked at British Vogue for 12 years, firstly managing the British Fashion advertising portfolio and latterly, as the Executive Retail Editor. This role gave her a breadth of knowledge across the fashion, jewellery and beauty industries. Her passion for both the commercial and the creative industries is what led her to start her business, VCH Style. The evening began with Ginnie being taken on a tour of the School led by two Sixth Form girls, Flossie and Frankie. Ginnie gave a really insightful talk on her career path since leaving Downe House and explained to the girls about why she pursued a career in the fashion industry. The girls were fortunate to have a fascinating guide on what to wear for an interview and how best to present themselves. Ginnie discussed sustainable fashion, a topic she is very passionate about. The girls asked questions and a wonderful discussion evolved on how teenagers can shop less and buy better. Our sincere thanks to Ginnie for giving up her time and sharing her wisdom with our girls.
Camilla Walker (DH 2010) and Flora Ogilvy (DH 2010) gave an insightful talk to a group of our Lower Fifth through to Lower Sixth girls on Wednesday 4 December about their respective careers since leaving School. Flora talked the girls through her varied career in the acting industry and offered lots of practical tips on how to create a niche for yourself in a competitive industry. Camilla Walker discussed her time studying languages at university and how this took her on a surprising career path to becoming a chartered surveyor at Savills. We are extremely grateful that they gave up their time to join us for the evening and for providing the girls with such thoughtprovoking insight to life after Downe House. Alessandra Tydeman (Lower Sixth) comments “It was a really interesting and enjoyable evening, and I learnt a lot, not only about what life is like after university but also tips for how to make the best of it.”
DH LINKS offers careers-based networking opportunities for current pupils and alumnae – if you can offer support with providing work shadowing or internships, hosting a networking event or giving a careers talk, please do get in touch. Please contact the Foundation Office if you wish to discuss ways to support DH LINKS. 5
10 Year Reunion: Class of 2009
10
THE HOLLYWOOD ARMS CHELSEA, LONDON THURSDAY 31 OCTOBER
7
25 20 &
20 and 25 Year Reunion: Classes of 1994 & 1999
THE LANSDOWNE CLUB MAYFAIR, LONDON WEDNESDAY 9 OCTOBER
5 9
Ireland REGIONAL REUNION
â–˛ Daphne Montgomery (Bridgeman DH 1958) pictured in her garden.
10
On a beautiful crisp day in September, a merry throng of Old Seniors gathered at the beguiling home of William and Daphne Montgomery (Bridgeman DH 1958), Grey Abbey, Strangford Lough on the Ards Peninsula in County Down, Northern Ireland. The joint event organised by both the DHSA and the Foundation Office drew together 12 members of the Downe House community living in Northern and Southern Ireland. During morning coffee, a wonderful selection of vintage uniform was passed around, including a djibbah, games skirts, embroidered blouses, hats and a blazer. Much was made of the style and the nametapes sown inside. Along with the collection of photographs and magazines, these fascinating artefacts evoked the most interesting insights into life at Downe House through the many decades. We are most grateful to Jane Caiger-Smith (DH Archivist) for curating the collection.
Before we sat down to lunch, Daphne said the School Grace, and we had the most delicious food in the very atmospheric dining room. Thank you to Diana Williams (Temple DH 1965) who brought along a school photo which we looked at over coffee. Everyone immensely enjoyed a tour of the magnificent gardens developed by Daphne Montgomery. The gardens include walled gardens, orchards, open pasture, mature woods, and beautiful borders. Daphne kindly gave a very informative talk on the history of the House and grounds, and dispensed advice to the keen gardeners in the group! It never fails to surprise me that both alumnae and former staff have so many memories to share from their time at the School.
Lady Peto November 2019
GUESTS AT THE REUNION Daphne Montgomery (Bridgeman DH 1958) Mandy Broughton (Cotton DH 1974) Anna Kinahan (Bence-Trower DH 1978) Diana Williams (Temple DH 1965) Robert Williams (husband of Diana) Annabel Jefferson (Watt DH 2004) Sue Cunningham (Ewart DH 1966) Sara McCorkell (Galbraith DH 1969) Lucinda Kinnaird (Sharp DH 1981) Tessa Lefroy (White DH 1959) Anna Sandford (Tindall DH 1979)
focus on
art
ROMY
ELLIOTT
y om R
2009
Romy completed a three year degree at the Florence Academy of Art in 2016, where she studied sculpture, drawing and painting, learning classical methods and imitating the old masters. Romy’s key focus is animals, due to her own life long relationship with both dogs and horses. She has an acute understanding of their anatomy, muscle structure and movement, which is essential in her work.
Describe a typical day for you? It is important to be in the studio every day and treat it like a normal office job. I walk over the river from my flat, make a cup of tea and get going. Some days I am visiting and photographing clients which I love as a change of scene and I’m in and out of the framer quite a lot which is a nice break from the practical work. I also teach at a start-up called MasterPeace on Wednesday afternoons. Can you tell us more about MasterPeace? I work as an instructor at MasterPeace which is a start-up in Eccleston Yards, Belgravia. There are classes all week which you can sign up to via the website. At MasterPeace, guests can create beautiful, personal works of art, with the help of one of the team of professional artists, in an inclusive and relaxed studio! They have developed a new way to start drawing and painting effortlessly, using light as a guide to turn your favourite photos into paintings, even as a total beginner. What advice would you give to current pupils hoping to work in the art world? I’m not sure that I feel qualified to give advice on anything really but on reflection, I would say that my three years of studying classical sculpture, drawing and painting were so incredibly valuable. There are no shortcuts in the art world and getting a solid technical foundation is key. From there, you can go on to be as contemporary and abstract as you like but I think it’s a great place to start. What have been some of the biggest challenges you have had to overcome in your career? The biggest challenge for me has been spending so much time alone. Whilst I’m lucky in so many ways, it is so far removed from the routine and consistency that an office job provides. Fortunately, I’m happy in my own company but I have had to learn to be disciplined and focused which is a challenge when there’s nobody checking in on you and particularly when I first started out and commission work was more sporadic. I have a dog and a rabbit as colleagues and whilst they listen intently, and provide constructive criticism on request, it’s certainly a lack of human interaction which is my greatest challenge.
What have been your greatest accomplishments in your career? I have been working full-time as an animal portrait artist for just over three years but in the art world that translates as incredibly new to the game. One big accomplishment is the fact that each year, I have become consistently busier. Working full-time on commissions is wonderful and gives my days more structure. Earlier this year, I produced three lifesize charcoal commissions which were on a totally new scale and I was thrilled with the outcome. I am now also on the books at Fine Art Commissions at St James’s who are Europe’s leading portrait agency. Where do you see yourself in five years? In five years, I would love to have had an exhibition of my own work and be known not just as a portrait artist. It is very hard to say no to commissions as they are what keep me afloat but in an ideal world, I would love to spend more time producing a body of my own more contemporary work. Horses generally remain the focus, but I am striving to portray them in a more abstract way.
With a busy career, growing pressure to ‘have it all’ and the importance of looking after one’s mental health, how do you find balance and relax after a busy week? This is certainly a relevant question for me as I certainly have to keep my mental state in check considering the amount of time I spend talking to the dog! Keeping active and eating well are very important – I try to make time for the gym or yoga at least twice a week which I find so balancing and walking to and from the studio ensures around an hour a day of movement. I joke about talking to the dog, but he is actually a wonderfully grounding friend to have. At the weekend, I ride if I am at home and spend time with friends. Sleep is also very important for me as I don’t function very well without enough of it!
romyelliott.com @romyelliottart
Who would you say has inspired you in your career? I’m constantly inspired by both my contemporaries and the great artists of the past. Whilst studying in Florence, all my teachers were fountains of knowledge and set great examples with their incredible work. Other artists past and present who have inspired me include, A J Munnings, Joaquin Sorolla, John Singer Sargent, Katie O’Sullivan, Jennifer Gennari and Dede Gold, Benjamin Bjorklund, Anne Magill, Sally Muir, Michael Austin, Daniel Ochoa – I could go on! What are the most valuable skills for someone to be successful in your career field? I would say patience is key. Nothing is going to happen overnight, and you need to keep plugging away and not panic, even when things aren’t going to plan. Self-discipline, an ability to work alone and an understanding of your subject are all important qualities – luckily, I love dogs and horses!
13
focus on
business
GEORGIA
MCMILLAN 2006
Georgia is the Founder of GRM Lifestyle, a lifestyle management and personal concierge service. After leaving Downe House, Georgia attended the Royal Agricultural College before pursuing a career in the property sector. She tells us what led her to setting up a business in London earlier this year.
Can you briefly describe your professional journey since leaving Downe House? Having left Downe in 2006, my first job after university was actually as an estate agent. After two years of having lots of fun, I realised that this was not for me long term. I felt that although I was organised, I wasn’t particularly suited to the corporate world so I set my sights on Private PA work. I fell into a job as a PA for an UHNW Armenian family in London. This was where I learnt so much of what I know today.
14
It was a huge job working within a family office of ten staff. The family had houses all over the world, multiple planes, cars, houses, staff, four children and diverse business and philanthropic interests. They were such fun to work for and I am grateful for this initial opportunity and everything I learnt at the start. The family became nonresidents as the children grew up and left London so I continued on to the next adventure and started working for Gordon Ramsay and his family for the next four years. This was a fully immersive and incredible experience. I was submerged in providing support for every element of the family’s life as well as the business. It was an honour and a hugely rewarding role to work for such a lovely family and also someone so talented at the top of their field. After four years with the Ramsays, I started to think about setting up on my own to provide support to an array of clients rather than one family, and a couple of years and several jobs later, GRM Lifestyle was born! Describe a typical workday for you? I thrive on each day being different so there really is no typical day. Aside from starting with a strong coffee
and an hour of emails, there is no set structure. Everything I do can be accessed from my phone which allows me to be on the move a lot. I spend a lot of time travelling across London as I believe that giving each client as much facetime as possible is the key to building good relationships. The services I provide are so varied – I could be walking a dog, completing school application forms, organising a dinner party or sourcing holiday villas all in the same day. The scope of work is so broad and that is what keeps it interesting. No job is too small or unusual! I have learned over the years that communication is absolutely key to the success of any project. When I first started out as a PA, I used to hide some information from my bosses as I felt scared of giving them bad news and thought that I was protecting them. However, I learnt the hard way and now know that the more information you can give to a client the better. This avoids any shocks and expectations are managed. I try to check in as often as I can, as even if I have no new updates, a check-in is always appreciated. What have been some of the biggest challenges you have had to overcome in your career? In hindsight, I think that juggling my own personal life and fulfilling my roles to the highest level has been a real challenge. When you are dealing with people’s personal lives, you are really on call 24/7. Their lives continue and their needs have to be met even after you have gone home. What have been the greatest accomplishment in your career? This is tricky but I think it has to be setting up GRM Lifestyle. Setting up on your own after so long in
Where would you like to see your company in ten years? I would love to see the company grow to a size where I employ a core team of top EAs who specialise in specific fields in which they have expertise. I would also love to compile a ‘Who’s Who’ style book of the best of the best in their fields eg florists, contractors, caterers, sleep trainers, dog walkers…the list is endless. My own little black book of people you can use and trust! How do you make your services stand out from your competitors and how important is social media in your line of work? I pride myself on providing a personal and bespoke service and getting
to know my clients. I think that this personal touch can often be lost and I don’t feel that I can fulfil my job to the best of my ability without having some sort of relationship. Once you know what makes someone tick, their styles and what they are really looking to gain from using my service, it makes the whole process run that much more smoothly for everyone. Shocking as it is, I haven’t promoted myself that much on social media…yet! My website is key in getting a feel of what GRM Lifestyle is all about but good old-fashioned word of mouth is very powerful in my line of work. What are the most valuable skills for someone to be successful in your career field? Flexibility! This is not a 9 to 5 job. You are asked to do some strange things at odd times but it all adds to the fun of it. You need a can-do attitude and must be willing to muck in. Organisation and the ability to multi-
task are the obvious requirements as well as the ability to keep cool in a crisis. Considering you provide a service that requires such flexibility in hours, how do you maintain your work/ life balance and prioritise your own wellbeing? I feel that having set up my own company, my mental health and general wellbeing have improved significantly. I wasn’t fully aware at the time, but my job consumed my life. I am naturally quite self-critical, and I was always pushing myself that little bit further than I needed to. I cannot stress enough how important selfcare is and making time for yourself. Schedule time for friends and family and doing the things you love. Where possible, prioritise these things over work. I love my job and am passionate about what I do but taking real time to detach from it actually allows me to perform better during the week.
grmlifestyle.co.uk
15
Photo by Sarah Dorweiler on Unsplash
the security of a full-time job is terrifying. There are so many uncertainties and unknowns, but I am proud of myself for being brave enough to take the leap!
focus on
charity
ALICE
DAWNAY 1998
What career did you envisage for yourself when you were studying at Downe House? At School, I was interested in becoming a psychologist. I ended up studying English Literature at Trinity College, Dublin instead, but as far back as I can remember I’ve wanted to see the world through different eyes and get to know people whose experiences are totally different from my own. I worked in healthcare in India on my gap year and developed a strong sense of needing to look at different lives closer to home. Can you tell us about the work Switchback is involved in? Switchback is an award-winning charity enabling young Londoners to find a way out of the justice system and build a stable and rewarding life that they can be proud of. We support men aged 18-30 both sides of the prison gate through intensive mentoring and real work training. This way they can achieve real, lasting change on release from prison. How are your Mentors paired with your trainees? Our Switchback Mentors, who are full-time paid staff and highly skilled, meet the men in the prison, and work with everyone who they assess to be ready to make a commitment to this enormous change. Switchback is a very intensive programme on release and a big responsibility. The trainee is committing to his change, and we are committing to that change too.
Alice is the Founder and CEO of Switchback, an award-winning London based prison rehabilitation charity. Switchback enable young men to find a way out of the justice system and build a stable, rewarding life they can be proud of. 16
Where does your passion for prison reform work come from? My work has always been in seeking to keep young people out of prison. This has been through diversionary schemes for teenagers and working in courts to promote community sentencing instead of custodial sentencing. I was inspired to work with this ‘young adult’ group as they’ve been known to have the highest re-offending rate and resources drop away when at the age of 17-and-10-months, they move into the adult system. The transition from prison to community, at the same time as a larger transition to adulthood, is an opportunity to make big changes… to decide who you want to be. Aged about 16 or 17, I did work experience with the police force. I wanted to understand the justice system. After university, I volunteered at a residential alternative to prison in the Scottish borders. There I saw the benefits of taking a whole-person approach to supporting people out of the justice system, and the power
of wilderness therapy alongside cognitive behavioural therapy. Later, with a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship, I spent three months researching alternatives to incarceration in the US. Are there indicators that certain personalities are going to have success within the Switchback programme that you look for in potential trainees? Above all, we’re looking for a readiness to change and a realistic attitude to what life is going to be like after release. The guys we meet in prisons tend to have been given binary perspectives on their futures outside of prison. One is that their record will always stand against them and noone is going to give them a chance and the other is that they can be anything they want, win X-Factor or become the next Raheem Sterling! The most likely outcome is that it will be somewhere in the middle and that it will be tough. If we meet men in prison who are pleased to be told the reality and treated with honesty, and if they recognise that we’re being real with them, then they’re more likely to get the most out of Switchback. We are trying to build something that lasts, so it takes a long time. Shortcuts are what got people into trouble in the first place, so we take the long way around. If you could change three things about the current British prison system what do you feel would be most meaningful for lasting change? I would rebuild it around one fundamental shift: recognising that the system is made up of human beings and that therefore it is crucial that relationships are at the heart of the process of change. If you treat prisoners like the people they have the potential to become, using positive, motivational relationships and high expectations, then they can become those people. Relationships keep people on track. If we really believe in resettlement, then the system needs to support people to change. Incarceration and separation are punishment enough without life being impossible inside the prisons and then outside of them too. With the cuts to officer numbers and hours, it is inevitable that relationships deteriorate throughout and people suffer as a result. This doesn’t just mean the men on the prison wings, but the general public and victims of crime who are not being kept safe if the system doesn’t work.
In terms of changing the prison system, I’d say my top three priorities are to: ■ Reduce the prison population. Only then can you… ■ Create a culture and physical space (like meeting rooms) to incentivise positive interaction between people ■ Ensure people leaving prison have a real chance at a new future (down to critical details such as ID, a bank account, a roof over their heads…) Describe a typical day for you. As CEO, I am overseeing delivery of our strategy, which is to help as many young men as possible and to use our evidence to make changes in the system. I’m responsible for keeping the charity running well and am always on the lookout for new funding opportunities. There’s no typical day, but I put every single decision I make through the filter of ‘Is this making life better for young men leaving prison?’ What sort of skillset do you look for in a potential employee? How would you describe your team? We have a small team at Switchback and every one of them is absolutely driven by our purpose. The reason we’re here is to support young Londoners to build a life they can be proud of when they get out of prison. Above all, we’re a hardworking bunch and we’re all very supportive of each other. What have been your greatest accomplishments in your career? The thing I’m proudest of is of having created an organisation
that can stand on its own two feet. On my last maternity leave, I left the organisation entirely in someone else’s hands and it thrived. Switchback is not dependent on any one person and can therefore continue into the future. And the most satisfying part of what is really a hard job, is thinking of the ripple effect that our work with trainees has; that their children will have options, their families and communities will be happier too. When you are involved in such lifechanging work how do you maintain a sense of balance between the professional and personal? This is really important. It’s crucial that Switchback staff have full lives outside of work. Practically, during a normal week the team here eats lunch together on a Monday, finishes early on a Friday, and all of us are advocates of selfcare. The Switchback Mentor team have fortnightly external clinical supervision to ensure they have the space to decompress and separate work and their personal lives. For myself, the way I recharge my batteries is by getting out of London into the mountains, to the sea, to wide open spaces or to fly a kite in the fresh air. I’m a believer in holidays.
switchback.org.uk 17
focus on
life beyond Downe
LUCY
DYER
18
Lucy Dyer (DH 2019) reports on her internship at Rogue Matilda, owned by Katie Cary (Harland DH 2007). Once I had decided that I would definitely take a gap year after leaving Downe, I knew I wanted to undertake some work experience in fashion, as it is an area I am interested in working in the future. The opportunity to spend four weeks with Katie Cary at Rogue Matilda in London was perfect for me, as she runs her own business and therefore, I was able to see and take part in many of the aspects involved.
I loved the most about the internship. At the end of my second week, the annual sample sale was launched online, and organising this was one of my first tasks. This involved creating the email, which was sent out with the password, linking to the part of the website which had all the shoes on, as well as uploading every pair of shoes to the page. We then drove to where the stock is kept in Oxfordshire to send out all the shoes on the same day. Another huge part of my time as an intern was spent organising the Spring Summer 2020 lookbook shoot. This involved contacting agencies to invite models in for castings, looking for the location and meeting with Eva, the photographer and Natalie, the stylist to plan the exact looks in the shoot. It ended up being on the Isle of Wight, and so I made a brief plan as to which beaches we could shoot on (as well as an ‘in case of emergency’ wet weather plan!). The day before the shoot, Katie, Eva and I took the ferry over to decide where exactly we would shoot (even down to the very rock and pose!) the next day. The shoot was great and we came out with some amazing shots, which will be released with the whole campaign next spring.
September is a great month to undertake an internship in fashion, as it is one of the busiest months of the year. As it was fashion month, I compiled a trend report on both street style and key runway looks and shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris. These trends will help to inspire the designs for next year, which was another aspect of the internship that I loved being involved with, as we looked at both previous bestsellers as well as new materials and additional features that could be added, which Katie had found at various trade shows around Europe. One of my last tasks was to help organise a pop-up shop taking place in preparation for Christmas in Chelsea for ten days. I helped look for locations around London, to see where the brand would fit in best with other stores, as well as assist with the design of the shop in terms of colour scheme, art and furniture. Eventually we found a space and began to design it using Photoshop, looking at similar pop-ups in London for inspiration. As the brand is focused on eye-catching colour, the shop reflected this too and I was so glad to work with Katie at the shop in November.
Sustainability is also a key part of the business, as all of the shoes are made in a family run factory in Portugal, and are designed to last. I got in contact with Katie through DH LINKS as I had met her at a fashion and beauty careers event in London in November 2018. An email was sent to our year group as she was looking for an intern in September, which was a great start to my gap year. Rogue Matilda was created by Katie in 2015, beginning with the idea that she could transform women’s flat shoes into vibrant styles to be worn anywhere. Jump to four years later, and she has also launched bags as part of a charity initiative in Mexico, helping female inmates to earn some money whilst in prison, as well as belts. Sustainability is also a key part of the business, as all the shoes are made in a family-run factory in Portugal and are designed to last. There are several core styles which are available all year round and therefore never go into the sale – these are also integral as they form a key part of the brand’s identity. Every day at the office was completely different which is what
roguematilda.com
19
ALUMNAE
Highlights 2
1 1 GRACE REGAN (DH 2009)
Grace recently ran a very successful crowdfunding campaign for her business SpiceBox. Since opening the doors to her first curry house in January 2019, Grace has received overwhelming support from her loyal customer base and is now involving them in her plans to open a second curry house. SpiceBox is located in Walthamstow, London.
2 LIBBY BREWIN (DH 2008), MA (CAMBRIDGE), MB CHB (WARWICK), MRCS
3
Libby has been admitted into the Royal College of Surgeons (by examination). This is a tremendous achievement. Many congratulations to Libby!
3 OLIVIA SCOTT-WEBB (DH 2002)
4
Tell us your story Do you have a new job, received a promotion or awarded a degree or professional award? These are accomplishments we want to announce. Email foundation@downehouse.net 20
Olivia has been awarded an Emmy for ‘outstanding casting for a comedy series’ at the 2019 Creative Arts Emmys. The award was given for Olivia’s work on series two of Fleabag. This was Olivia’s first nomination and first win – a tremendous achievement!
4 EMMA POWELL (DH 2010)
Emma is currently starring in One Million Tiny Plays About Britain at the Jermyn Street Theatre in London. The play will move to the Watermill Theatre from Wednesday 29 January to Saturday 15 February 2020.
5 THEODORA CLARKE (DH 2003)
Theodora has recently been elected as the Conservative MP for the Stafford constituency. Previously, Theodora was the Chief Executive for the Coalition for Global Prosperity. We look forward to following Theodora’s progress in her new role.
5
Save the date FEB
27
5 YEAR REUNION FOR THE CLASS OF 2015
THE ATLAS, FULHAM, LONDON. 6.30PM – 8.30PM
Email foundation@downehouse.net to book your place.
MAR
14
EDINBURGH UNIMEET BRUNCH
FOUNDATION ONLINE UPDATE YOUR DETAILS NETWORKING PHOTOGRAPHS
RABBLE, EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND 11AM – 2PM
EVENT INFORMATION
Email foundation@downehouse.net to book your place.
MENTORING
SCHOOL NEWS
www.foundation.downehouse.net 21
Christmas at Downe House
22
NEWSAND ACHIEVEMENTS LOWER SIXTH MUSICIAN SELECTED FOR PRESTIGIOUS LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA SCHEME.
To read the full stories and further news from the School www.downehouse.net/ news-and-media/news-room/
Talented Lower Sixth musician, Antonia applied, auditioned and has been selected for the prestigious London Philharmonic Orchestera (LPO) Junior Artist Scheme 2019/20. Antonia is one of just eight young musicians from across the UK who will be welcomed into the wonderful world of the LOP over the next academic year to be given an insight into the industry and the daily life of a professional orchestra, as well as support and advice from an LPO
player mentor. Antonia is currently also a student at the Royal College of Music Junior Department, a Music Scholar and last year, she was awarded a Distinction in the dipABRSM. Director of Music, Dr Charlotte Exon said, “ we are delighted that Antonia has been chosen to join the London Philharmonic Orchestra Junior Artist 2019/20 Scheme. It is a fantastic scheme for exceptional musicians and I know that she will gain invaluable experience and insights from working with one of the world’s finest symphony orchestras. It is wonderful to be able to support and nurture our musicians, opening doors to an exciting and vibrant musical opportunity to enable them to become the musicians they would like to be.”
CELEBRATING OUR AWARD HOLDERS The privilege of being an Award Holder at Downe House unlocks access to a series of super-curricular and enrichment events designed to further stretch and challenge the most able girls. To kick off this year’s programme of events, the Enrolment of Scholars’ Dinner held on Friday 20 September 2019 brought together all the new Award Holders for 2019-20 from every age group and from all the disciplines – academic, sport, music, art, drama – to celebrate their achievements and wish them well on their journey of discovery. Lower Sixth student and Academic Scholar, Jemima describes her evening, “Each Award Holder was invited individually to go up onto the stage and be presented with a certificate and a journal. I love the journal as it is something really special that I know I will keep forever and use to always remember my time at Downe House as a Scholar. The highlight of the evening for me was the talk by Hannah Jones (DH 2008), a Downe House alumna, as she talked about not only her plethora of successes at School, from the lacrosse pitch to the stage, but also her successful career as a barrister. Her speech really did leave me inspired to just give everything a go.”
OPPORTUNITIES IN STEM The Upper Fifth and a group of pupils from Park House School enjoyed a packed day of STEMrelated talks and workshops to guide and engage them in the diverse range of opportunities on offer at university and in the workplace. The STEM Day started with an inspirational keynote presentation by Mr Rob Bennett from the Bloodhound Project, a global engineering project aiming to set a new World Land Speed Record of 1000mph. Poppy MacInnes (DH 2010), who is in her fourth year of studying Medicine at King’s College London, shared her own experience with those considering becoming a doctor as well as giving advice on courses, career possibilities and the application process. Head of Physics, Mr Matthew Rivers said, “STEM Day provides a fantastic opportunity for the girls to learn first-hand about real life projects from experts working in highly specialised fields. I would like to thank all our speakers for giving up their time to share their skills, knowledge and passion for the areas they work in as well as all the members of staff who worked hard to make the event such a success.”
With a strong performance across the board in Science and Mathematics in both I/GCSE and A Level examinations and an outstanding range of enrichment opportunities in science, technology, engineering and maths provided for girls from Remove to the Upper Sixth, it is no surprise that 17% of girls at Downe House chose to study STEM-related subjects at university this year ranging from biochemistry and neuroscience to engineering and product design.
YOUNG SCHOLARS AT YALE Three Sixth Form girls, Emily, Sappho and Tosin, were selected for the highly competitive Yale Young Global Scholars’ (YYGS) Programme, an academic summer enrichment programme for outstanding high school students from around the world. The application process for the YYGS programme is highly competitive with over 6500 applications last year and each summer, students from over 125 countries participate in one of five interdisciplinary sessions at Yale’s historic campus. Emily, now in the Upper Sixth, reports on her experience, “During the summer holidays, I participated in the Yale Young Global Scholars programme at Yale University. Having been told about it by the Overseas Universities Advisor, Mrs Barnard and having done some of my own research, I knew that I wanted to apply for their International Affairs and Globalisation course. I applied in January and was thrilled to discover in April that I had been accepted. It was a two-week course and I stayed in one of Yale’s residential colleges, meeting people from all over the world. As well as creating lifelong friends from different places and cultures, I was able to engage in conversations about topical global issues with people having varying opinions. I learnt a huge amount about international relations, which has inspired me to study this at university level.”
25
Cold THE MOVE TO
D
owne House was founded in 1907 at Down House in Kent, which had once been the home of Charles Darwin and his family. The photograph above, likely to have been taken in 1909, shows the back of the house which led out to the garden. By 1920, the School was bursting at the seams; “rumours of motorbuses coming to Downe, and the gradual approach of the suburbs made us feel that the quiet countryside was beginning to alter” and the airfield at Biggin Hill was becoming increasingly noisy. Olive Willis and her supporters began looking for a new home, preferably on a hill, in real
26
country but close to a town and a railway station. Olive and her sister Dorothy came upon a piece of real estate that seemed to fit the bill, The Cloisters Estate “on the heights of Cold Ash”. We have the full sale particulars here in the Archives (the first page is shown on the left). There was a good train service from London to Newbury, and a branch line to Didcot which stopped at Hermitage Station, just 1½ miles from the School. The view from the first floor of what is now the History block was wide and open in the early days and the girls could see the trains making their way across the valley. The purchase was completed in late 1921 with financial assistance from friends and family and the move was planned for the Easter break in 1922. A Mr Penfold of Green Street Green in Kent managed the whole move, using car, charabanc and train and steam engines were used to get many of school’s belongings from Hermitage Station up Red Shute Hill. Some of the staff made their way over in the school car, “the old car ploughed its way through a blinding snow-storm to find the new house in the pine wood, looking like some old castle on a Christmas card”. The view through the trees (above) is the earliest image we have; it shows the eastern end of the
d Ash cloister on the left (now gone) which continued right around to what is now our western entrance to the stairs down to the Chapel. Buildings erected in Kent were taken down and moved over to Cold Ash; for some time they lay in heaps to the north west of the Cloisters. Olive Willis wrote that Miss Nickel “and six ex-marines are busy excavating the hillside, in order to make a foundation for the buildings. An iron scoop, kindly lent by Mr and Mrs Baring-Gould is of the greatest service in moving the earth.” Eighty three girls came for the first term here at Cold Ash. There was a lack of bed space at first but the cloisters provided shelter and with
a spirit of adventure and excitement, some of the girls camped along the cloisters until their dormitories (above centre and right), were ready. Before the Chapel (above left) was rebuilt, services took place in the Cloisters and the Cold Ash vicar who would come to celebrate communion on Sundays regarded this as “indeed truly primitive”. The girls were allowed to bring rugs along to tuck around their knees and some wrote of snow blowing in – each girl was given a penny for the collection. The gym (below) was another of the buildings from Kent, it was re-erected below the north western end of the Cloisters and is now the Resources area though for many
years was the Barn Library. This photograph below shows it perfectly and the girls delicately balanced at the back are where we now walk past Resources to the Nickel Room. I am sure everyone will recognise the location of the final photograph (below right). The chairs shown are the ‘meditation chairs’ we inherited from the previous occupants of this wonderful site. They were The School of Silence, and that, reader, is another story.
Jane Caiger-Smith Archivist
27
REUNION IO
RS
AT I
SE N
DHSA
ON
D
E
NE HOU S OW
’ A SS O C
I
Thursday 14 November 2019 is a date that won’t be forgotten for a very long time! The DHSA hosted a reunion for the members at Downe House between 1980 to 1990; it was a fantastic event with 120 Old Seniors enjoying a memorable night at the Savile Club. If the success of a party is measured in decibels, this reunion was off the chart! The atmosphere fizzed with excitement, warmth and the sheer joy of seeing old school friends once again. Thank you to everyone who came and for the lovely emails: Lady Peto DHSA Administrator November 2019
“What a great night – the volume said it all! I have already received several emails from my year group saying how much they enjoyed it and asking when the next one is?!… it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and surprisingly, we all recognised each other!”
DHSA NEWS “Thank you for hosting such a super party. It was fun to catch up with the girls we knew from the years above us. It was fascinating to hear what they have been doing.”
“Just to say thank you very much for a lovely evening last night. It was great to see so many people from my year and still recognisable faces from many other years. A true blast from the past!”
GRANTS Five new grants were awarded in October. The recipients are: Bea Bennett (DH 2012) – qualification in children’s counselling Pandora Bibby (DH 2012) – membership qualifications for the Royal College of Gynaecologists Katherine Hames (DH 2009) – Pilates instructor training Flora Macnamara (DH 2012) – PGCE course Emily Gordon Lennox (DH 2013) – Book-keeping course Do remember that all members of the DHSA are entitled to a grant (DHSA Grant) to assist them in a worthwhile project eg towards an individual’s professional/ educational development, and a grant (Mather Travel Award) to support worthwhile, adventurous travel plans or time spent supporting UK and international communities. All submissions are considered at the next scheduled meeting of the Committee. Application forms, available from the website, should be sent to the DHSA Administrator at dhsa@downehouse.net. The next application deadlines are 31 January 2020 and 31 August 2020
NEW HONORARY SENIORS We are delighted to welcome the following to the DHSA as Honorary Seniors: Mrs Ann Dibble Mrs Joanne Harrop
29
FONDLY REMEMBERED
Pamela Juliet Straker (Baker-Cresswell 1948) 9 July 1931–24 October 2019 Pam attended Downe House during the 1940s. She loved school having been educated at home until then. She was always very proud of her 7 credits gained in her School Certificate in 1947. She attended the Monkey Club in London where she learned to cook, made numerous friends and had a great social life. When her father retired from the Navy, the family moved to Northumberland where Pam met Clive Straker, a landowner and very successful amateur jockey. They married in 1953 and Pam accompanied Clive all over the country to various race meetings. She had wonderful stories about buying race horses in Ireland and the extraordinary people they met. In the late 1950s Pam joined the British Red Cross and trained in First Aid and Nursing rising to become Assistant Commandant of the Corbridge Detachment in 1959. She was often on duty at race meetings and rode in the back of the ambulance on numerous occasions to attend various emergencies, a forerunner to the Paramedics we have now perhaps.
Pam was always good at taking care of people. She looked after Clive who went blind in his late 40s having been a life-long diabetic; her parents when they became frail and her three children, always there to advise, commiserate or just listen. Cooking was always a big part of her life. When Clive died in 1980 Pam joined Country Cousins to cook and care for people in temporary need. She loved to travel. She was always interested in history and went on annual trips to different battle fields in Europe or mini cruises to visit gardens round the coast of Britain. One of her daughters lived in South Africa for a while which was another great opportunity for Pam to visit. Although her mind was sparky until the end, ill-health plagued her final years. She was always surrounded by people, at ease in the company of any age. She was immensely loved by all three children, 10 grandchildren and 8 and a bit great grandchildren. She leaves a big hole in their lives. Written by: Juliet Devereux
Mr Patrick Maclure (former School Bursar) Bursar at Downe House from 1979–1988. While here, he managed the construction of the swimming pool and squash court complex and the first phase of York House. Well respected for his steady, careful management.
Patrick Maclure pictured outside York House in 1981.
30
In Memoriam MISS ALISON MITCHELL (DH 1947) MRS VICTORIA GIBBON (WELLS DH 1971) MRS ELIZABETH WAY (FOOKS DH 1941) Known as Betty during her school days. MR RODNEY GWATKIN (FORMER STAFF) MRS AUDREY FISHER (THOMPSON, FORMER STAFF)
DH LINKS EVENT
TUE
4 FEB
DOWNE HOUSE
THU
5 YEAR REUNION (CLASS OF 2015)
27 FEB
LONDON
DH LINKS EVENT
WED
4 MAR
DOWNE HOUSE
SAT
UNIMEET EVENT
14 MAR
EDINBURGH
REGIONAL REUNION
THU
2 APR
SCOTLAND
WED
DH LINKS EVENT
6 MAY
LONDON
SAT&SUN
FOUNDER’S WEEKEND
29&30 JUN
DOWNE HOUSE
WED
10 YEAR REUNION (CLASS OF 2010)
14 OCT THU
DATES FOR THE DIARY
12 NOV
LONDON
20 & 25 YEAR REUNION (CLASSES OF 1995 & 2000) LONDON
NEW
FOUNDATION EVENT FOR 2020!
QUIZ NIGHT TAKING PLACE AT DOWNE HOUSE OPEN TO ALL ALUMNAE MORE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW 31
Scotland Regional Reunion
Held with the kind permission of the Duchess of Argyll
Thursday 2 April 2020 10:30am to 2:30pm
TICKET PRICE: ÂŁ25:00 Includes a welcome reception in the private apartments, tour of the house, guide book, two course lunch with wine and an opportunity to explore the magnificent gardens RSVP BY FRIDAY 17 JANUARY Limited spaces available, so please book early to avoid disappointment Contact Lady Peto foundation@downehouse.net or 01635 204797 A separate letter will be sent to you to confirm your place with payment details INVERARY CASTLE Inveraray, Argyll PA32 8XE www.inveraray-castle.com
Cold Ash, Thatcham, Berkshire RG18 9JJ T: 01635 204719 E: foundation@downehouse.net www.downehouse.net
Downe House School
@DowneHouse1
downe_house